Washoe County, NV Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Industrial limit
- 75 Ldn at property line
- Residential/public limit
- 65 Ldn at property line
- Interior (schools/hospitals)
- 45 Ldn max
- Highway/railroad
- 65 dB / 65 Ldn
- Measurement
- A-weighted, 24-hour Ldn
Summary
Washoe County's Development Code sets day-night average sound (Ldn) limits measured at the property line: 65 Ldn abutting residential, parks, schools or hospitals, and 75 Ldn in industrial zones, plus a 65 dB cap near highways and railroads. Nighttime noise carries a 10 dB penalty.
Industrial Development. For property being developed within any industrial zone: seventy-five (75) Ldn at the property line. Residential Abutment. For property abutting areas developed residentially ... sixty-five (65) Ldn at the property line.
Full Breakdown
Development Code Section 110.414.05 sets the numeric standards: industrial development, 75 Ldn at the property line; property abutting residential areas, 65 Ldn; property abutting parks, schools, hospitals, group-care or child-care facilities, 65 Ldn (with interior levels not exceeding 45 Ldn); development with a group-care facility, school or hospital, 60 Ldn at three feet from exterior walls; and near highways/railroads, outside residential noise not exceeding 65 dB when trains pass or 65 Ldn beside highways. Section 110.414.10 requires A-weighted measurement using the slow meter response, a 24-hour measurement averaged hourly, a 10 dB penalty for nighttime hours (10 p.m.-7 a.m.), and the microphone placed at the property line at least three feet from any wall and three feet above ground.
Violations & Fines
Sound exceeding these Ldn limits is a Development Code violation; developers may be required to build a noise-attenuation barrier and code enforcement may pursue abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the decibel limit in residential Washoe County?
How is the limit measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washoe County
Compare Washoe County to another location·View the Nevada noise ordinances overview
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